new and need advice

[m_cncl]

I am 39yrs old male. I had dry eyes for 10 months from lasik. I am having difficulty with the medical professions concerning dry eyes. No one has an answer when i ask questions concerning my issues I have.

Here what I have: Dry eyes, star burst, halos, photophopia (sensitive to the sun but not lights), itchiness, floaters. All these from lasik.

I am in a dilemma. I am a truck driver and haul long distance(I work the graveyard shift). It is a hassle to stop frequently to add the drops, and if I don t stop, then I cry to lubricate my eyes.

I need advice and opinions concerning what I need to do to work more comfortably.
I reside in Canada so the optm gave me a presc. for restasis. Since it is sold in the U.S.A, I informed what it will cost me to purchase the product. $124.00 for 16 day supply. Do any of you think its worth a try for 6 months or not to bother in purchasing the product.
I really appreciate any inputs from all of you
Thx M

[Terri]

I read that there is a very specific set of evaluation criteria that an opthalmologist should use to determine whether you are likely to benefit from Restasis or not. Unfortunately, the majority don't seem to go through those steps and, instead, prescribe Restasis and tell the patient, "See if this works." Unfortunately, also, it can take up to 6 months to show results, even if you are in the minority of DES sufferers who will benefit from its use.

Before you spend that kind of money on a dark horse, you might want to exhaust these other steps to see if you get relief first:

* A car humidifier to keep the humidity levels in your truck in the 40 - 50% range or higher. (You should buy an inexpensive hygrometer to see how humid the cab is. If it normally runs above 50%, you won't need a humidifier.)

* Moisture chamber goggles to wear while driving. (These will reduce your need for drops.)

* Try warm compresses like a rice baggy after you finish your shift. If these help, you might further investigate MGD (meibomian gland disorder).

* Try taking a supplement called NAC (n-acetyl cycsteine) to see if it helps with mucin production and usability. (It helps some people and not others.) I take two 100mg capsules a day, and it has really slashed my need for eye drops. A word of caution: don't take more than 300 mg per day until you find out how you tolerate it. More than 300 mg per day can cause nausea and intestinal distress in some people (myself included).

* If you're not using preservative-free drops, be aware that sustained use of bottled drops with preservatives can cause damage that further increases dry eye problems. The best choices are preservative-free, single-use vials. Even though they say you should discard the vial after one use, you can buy a pocket-sized insulating pack in the DEZ shop that will keep them chilled and enable you to safely use a vial for more than one use (assuming you don't touch the tip to something and contaminate it). I generally use a vial for a day and discard what's left before I go to bed.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

[Rebecca Petris]

Hello and welcome. I really, really feel for you with your work situation.... and I'm concerned about the visual part. The haloes etc. may be directly related to dry eye or they may not.

Great advice from Terri. For immediate future I'd stress moisture chamber eyewear as a top priority. For your purposes I'd strongly recommend the Wiley-X "Climate Control" type glasses with a light-adjusting lens as a great investment. They're basically like sunglasses but with a foam lining that keeps in moisture - I think these will improve your comfort and vision and greatly reduce your need for using drops so frequently. Should cost around $130. You may be able to find them at a Harley Davidson dealership, but if you have any trouble, feel free to call our office for help tracking them down.

[m_cncl]

I started to use the non pres. vials from Refresh. Also, i have purchase the Wiley x glasses, but one problem i have with it is my left eye keeps evaporating and fogs the lens. Any ideas how i can prevent it from occurring.
M

[Rebecca Petris]

I started to use the non pres. vials from Refresh. Also, i have purchase the Wiley x glasses, but one problem i have with it is my left eye keeps evaporating and fogs the lens. Any ideas how i can prevent it from occurring.
M

Hi there, sorry to hear this. I am not sure what to suggest. For me personally, generally any fogging issues have tended to be related to fit, but there have been a couple of people on the site who reported fogging issues even with a really well fitting gasket. I noticed this last summer a little fogging for the first time while driving with a pair of Wileys - I think it was a Brick frame. I dont' think I have ever had fogging while driving with Panoptx, and those also provide the best foam coverage, however, I'm not sure I'd want to drive at night in them because they limit the side vision a bit more. Might be worth a try though? (Sorry, I know all these things are quite costly.) If all else fails, there are a couple of new products coming out this next year, one of which is moderately priced, which I think will be very good for driving with dry eye. There is no 100% cure for fogging with lenses that are mostly sealed, but hopefully these all get us closer.

[bassfan]

Also, i have purchase the Wiley x glasses, but one problem i have with it is my left eye keeps evaporating and fogs the lens. Any ideas how i can prevent it from occurring.
M

My wiley-x's fog up on me sometimes when im in my boat on a hot calm day. Its mostly one lense, and I know that one has a better seal than the other. I always just adjust the glasses on my face so its not so much of a seal...or just pull them down on my nose a little bit. That usually does the trick.

Daren